Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — A total of 19,696 illegal residents have been arrested from various regions of Saudi Arabia during the last week, the Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday. The arrests were made during the joint field security campaigns that were carried out by the security forces in collaboration with the concerned government agencies during the period between Nov. 14 and Nov. 20.

Those who were arrested included 11,336 violators of the Residency Law, 5,176 violators of the Border Security Law, and 3,184 violators of the Labor Law. The total number of people who were arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom accounted for 1,547, of whom 32 percent were Yemeni nationals, 65 percent Ethiopian nationals, and three percent belonged to other nationalities while 71 people were arrested while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally.

Twenty two people, who were involved in transporting, sheltering, and employing violators, were also arrested. A total of 22,658 expatriates, including 19,651 men and 3,007 women, are currently undergoing various phases of legal procedures as part of punitive measures against them.

A total of 15,134 violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents while 2,656 violators were referred to complete their travel reservations whereas 10,666 violators were deported.

The Ministry of Interior has warned that any person, who facilitates the illegal entry of individuals into the Kingdom, transports them on its territory, provides them with shelter or any other assistance or service may be penalized with up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to SR1 million, and that the vehicles used for transportation or houses used for giving shelter will be confiscated.

The ministry urged the public to report any cases of violation by calling the number 911 in the regions of Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province and the numbers 999 and 996 in the rest of the Kingdom’s regions.